1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to weapons systems, and in particular, to a system wherein an explosive shell having no on-board directional guidance mechanisms or propulsions units is guided to a target.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Laser beams are known, as is the concept of employing a laser beam directly to destroy a target. However, although the capability of pointing a laser and tracking moving targets with close to microradian accuracy is available, the high power laser by itself still possesses a limited capability to damage a target due to the necessity of holding the laser continuously on a specific target spot in order to assure the necessary burn capability. On the other hand, most aircraft or missile targets are highly vulnerable to impact with simple explosive shells fired by conventional cannons of various caliber. The missile or aircraft, as the case may be, nonetheless retains a high level of invulnerability due to the unavailability of any weapons system having a high kill capability which employs simple explosive shells. Extremely high capacity weapons, proximity fuses and other techniques have been developed to compensate for the inability to guide a simple explosive shell after it has been fired, but nonetheless, the kill probability of a cannon shell is still regarded as poor in most military operations, and this fact has led to its replacement by various types of guided missiles. Guided missiles involve complex and intricate components and are generally extremely expensive. Laser beams have been used in known systems to guide projectiles, but in all known systems, the projectile itself has included internal guidance systems or infrared receivers and means responsive to particular patterns of radiant energy in the beam directed at the missile capable of converting the energy directed at the missile to electrical impulses which, in turn, activate control rockets, fins, rudders or the like.